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T O P I C R E V I E W

heng44

Columbia is rolled out to the launch pad on August 31, 1981, in preparation for STS-2.

Ed Hengeveld

East-Frisian

Glamour and mystic.

garymilgrom

Any details on the weather Ed? Looks like heavy mist or fog, perhaps rain. Would they roll out a Shuttle in the rain?

Beautiful and unusual - thanks!

GoesTo11

I must have a hi-res of that. Can I talk you into sending me the "biggest" version you've got, Ed?

Greggy_D

Columbia looks like a toy model next to the VAB.

Cozmosis22

quote:Originally posted by garymilgrom: Would they roll out a Shuttle in the rain?

No. Can't imagine them intentionally taking that slow-motion six-hour balancing-act trek to the pad with wind and rain in the forecast. The launch schedule was not so tight as to ever require that. What we see there is probably just the usual early morning fog at the Space Coast.

Thanks for the beautiful image! The shuttle stack (for the last time dressed in full white) looks so small because it is apparently about a half hour out from the VAB and further away from our point of view.

The rest of the rollout images show excellent weather, so this was probably morning fog. Not half as bad as for STS-6 rollout.

And, yes: Columbia was rolled out of the far side of the VAB from this angle. So it looks a bit small.

icarkie

Great photo Ed.

I think the music from ELP, fanfare for the common man could be played along with this image.

ringo67

Hey, that was my 11th birthday.

I remember seeing footage of the rollout on the evening news. It really felt like the beginning of a whole new era in spaceflight. I wish I could feel that excited now. Curiosity comes close. But, maybe I'm just getting old...

Gonzo

Kids! You were all of 11? You weren't even born yet for the one of the greatest events of all time! Getting old? Nah! You've got a lot to see yet! Great times are just getting started!